Patch 12.3 - Item Overview

Rilea -

Alongside several champion nerfs, the latest patch made some huge changes to some brawler items; let’s break them down.

Mythic Items

Healing and durability were huge problems that plagued the meta throughout last year, as bruisers were able to deal tons of damage while surviving for far too long between their runes and items. Consequently, Goredrinker and Divine Sunderer have had their health nerfed and build path changed while their AD have been increased:

  • Divine Sunderer - build path (Sheen + Caulfield’s Warhammer + Kindlegem + 700 gold)
  • Health - 300 (down from 400)
  • Attack Damage - 40 (up from 35)

  • Goredrinker - build path (Ironspike Whip + Caulfield’s Warhammer + Kindlegem + 300 gold)
  • Health - 300 (down from 450)
  • Attack Damage - 60 (up from 55)

Trinity Force has received an inverse change, with a buff to its health to make it more in line with our Mythics at a consequence of some AD power:

  • Trinity Force - health - 300 (up from 200)
  • Passive (Threefold Strike) - grants +4% AD against champions or structures, up to a maximum of 5 times for 20% (down from +6%, maximum of 30%)

These changes feel like a nerf to Trinity Force, as the slight increase in health doesn’t make up for the noticeable reduction in damage. Additionally, several carry champions that build Trinity Force already have innate mobility they can use to survive (such as Zeri and Ezreal), and will not benefit as much from the increased health. Turbo Chemtech is the final Mythic to receive some changes:

  • Turbo Chemtank - Passive (Refuel) - gain 5 stacks per instance of damage taken from champions and large monsters, and 1 stack for every 25 units travelled (changed from damage dealt from champions and large monsters, and 1 stack for every 15 units travelled)
  • Passive (Refuel) - at 100 stacks, your next basic attack deals magic damage to all nearby enemies, increased by 30% against minions and 200% against monsters (increased from 25% against minions and 175% against monsters)

After tank Akali caused chaos by abusing Chemtank, you now gain stacks from receiving damage rather than dealing it, encouraging Chemtank as a tank exclusive item. Meanwhile, the increased minion and monster damage at 100 stacks will help with wave clear.

Legendary Items

Several Legendary Items have been adjusted with similar shifts in power, with less health in favour of offensive stats:

  • Death’s Dance - Total cost - 3300 (up from 3100)
  • Passive (Ignore Pain) - stores 30% for melee/10% for ranged of magic and attack damage received; now also stores damage received to shields (down from 35% for melee/15% for ranged)
  • Passive (Defy) - heal for 175% bonus AD if a champion dies within 3 seconds of dealing damage to them (instead of 15% of health upon scoring a kill or assist)

  • Sterak’s Gage - Attack Damage - 0 (down from 50)
  • Passive (The Claws That Catch) - new effect - gain 40% of your base AD as bonus AD
  • Passive (Bloodlust) - removed - áfter dealing or taking damage to an enemy champion, heal for a portion of your maximum health over 6 seconds
  • Passive (Lifeline) - if you take damage that would reduce you below 30% of your maximum health, gain a shield equal to 75% of your bonus health that decays over 3.75 seconds (changed from a 4 second shield that scales with the number of current Bloodlust stacks)

Though the price of Death’s Dance has increased, it now accounts for magic damage and damage dealt to shields to make it more viable into AP champions. However, the changes to the Defy passive has reduced its universal strength and means it will be best on champions that are building a lot of AD items already. Sterak’s Gage is another ubiquitously strong item for all bruisers, so the changes to the Lifeline shield limit its viability to builds with a lot of bonus health. Maw of Malmortious and Blade of the Ruined King have also received some tweaks:

  • Maw of Malmortious - Attack damage - 55 (up from 50)
  • Ability Haste - 20 (up from 15)
  • Shield - 200 (+[225% for melee/168.75% for ranged] bonus AD) (changed from 200+20% maximum health)
  • Passive (Lifeline) - new effect - when the shield is activated, gain 12% omnivamp until the end of combat

  • Blade of the Ruined King - cost - 3300 (up from 3200)
  • Passive (Mist’s Edge) - basic attacks deal [12% for melee/8% for ranged] of target’s current health as physical damage (up from 10% for melee/6% for ranged)

The Maw of Malmortious changes are clear buffs across the board, as you now gain a stronger shield the more AD you’ve built, and are more durable when the shield is procced thanks to the omnivamp. Though the Blade of the Ruined King has received an 100g price increase, the extra damage it now provides makes this slight price increase worth it. Finally, the following items have received minor stat changes:

  • Black Cleaver - health - 350 (down from 450)
  • Attack damage - 45 (up from 40)
  • Ability haste - 30 (up from 25)
  • Ravenous Hydra - attack damage - 70 (up from 65)
  • Hearthbound Axe - total cost - 1000 gold (down from 1100)
  • Combine cost - 350 gold (down from 450)
  • Hexdrinker - attack damage - 25 (up from 20)

Summary

The item updates have attempted to make each bruiser item have a clear identity and purpose, rather than some items being a mandatory pick in every single game. This should offer the class more flexibility and the opportunity to adapt on the fly to the state of the game.

-Rilea